The document summarizes a presentation given at the Western Museums Association Conference on the importance of museum retail and best practices. It discusses how museum stores should be mission-driven and education-focused rather than simply "gift shops." The presentation covers the Museum Store Association standards and has a panel of museum retail experts discuss strategic management, merchandise planning, operations, customer relations, financial management, and communications. The panelists provide examples from different museum types and sizes. The conclusion emphasizes that museum stores are important departments that help drive attendance, revenue, and support the museum's collections and programs.

1. Much More Than
a “Gift Shop”
Vital Tips, Tools & Resources
for Museum Retail
Western Museums Association Conference
Palm Springs, CA
October 24, 2012

2. Presented by:
Jim DeMersman: Executive Director
Museum on Main
Stuart Hata: Director of Retail Operations
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Carrie Santell: Assistant Store Manager
USS Hornet Museum
Moderator:
Miriam Works: Principal

3. Legion of Honor Museum Store
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

4. AGENDA
 Introduction
Museum Store Association
MSA Knowledge Standards
 Panelists Q&A
State of Museum Retail
Utilizing MSA Knowledge Standards
 General Q&A

5. "Gift Shop" vs. MUSEUM STORE
 Mission-related and Interpretive
 Focused merchandise of educational
and high quality
 Representative of the Museum
 Visitor and Customer Service oriented
 Profitable and Successful

6. USS Hornet Museum –
Admissions, Store & Cash Wrap

7. Museum Store Association (MSA)
Founded in 1955, MSA is a nonprofit, international
association organized to advance the success of cultural
commerce and of the professionals engaged in it. By
encouraging high standards of professional competence and
conduct, MSA helps retail professionals at cultural
institutions better serve their organizations and the public.
Governed by a seven-member board of directors, the
Association serves approximately 1,650 institutional
members and nearly 725 exhibitor affiliates.

8. De Young Museum Store – upper level
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

9. MSA Knowledge Standards
The MSA Knowledge Standards are eight core
knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to
successfully operate a Museum Store at the
highest professional standards.
- Strategic Management
- Merchandise Planning
- Operations
- Customer Relations
- Financial Management
- Communications
- Business Relations
- Human Resources

10. STATE OF MUSEUM RETAIL
• What is the state of Museum retailing today?
Successes? Challenges?
• Utilizing six of MSA's eight Knowledge
Standards as highligted in the previous slide,
our panelists will respond to questions that will
provide insight, tips, and tools from experiences
in different museum types and sizes.

11. de Young Museum Store – lower level
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
San Francisco, CA

12. Strategic Management
Does your store have a mission statement that is
separate from your institution’s mission
statement?
How was the mission statement developed?
Why is your store mission statement important to
the success of your institution?

13. The Cult of Beauty Exhibition Store
Legion of Honor
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

14. Merchandise Planning
Why is it important to have a merchandise plan
that is specific to your museum?
How do you develop a merchandise plan and
budget?
Why is it important to develop custom product
and/or exhibit specific product?
How do you develop custom merchandise in a
fiscally responsible manner?

15. USS Hornet Museum – Custom product

16. Birth of Impressionism Exhibition Store
de Young Museum
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

17. Operations
How do you ensure the Museum Store operates
smoothly and efficiently?
Payroll comprises the largest % of most store
budgets. How do you budget for payroll and
how do you control it?
How do you manage staffing schedules and
responsibilities and your own time to ensure
that all areas are managed efficiently and
proactively?

18. USS Hornet Museum
Alameda, CA

19. Customer Relations
Do you solicit customer and internal feedback on
your store merchandise and operations?
What strategies do you use to gather this
feedback?
What actions do you take, driven by customer and
internal feedback?

20. Museum on Main Museum Shop
Amador-Livermore Valley Historical Society
Pleasanton, CA

21. Financial Management
In some museums the store budget and revenue
goals are developed and handed down by
administration.
Why is it important to work with your
administration on setting store budget and
goals?
How do you monitor your budget on a regular
basis to ensure performance is measured
effectively?

22. “Point of Purchase” Packaging
FAMSF – de Young & Legion USS Hornet Museum
of Honor

23. Communication
How do you communicate effectively with
administration and other departments to ensure
store activities and goals are integrated into the
overall museum activities and goals?
Museum Stores must be operated like any other
retailer. What resources do you use to stay on
top of “big picture” general retail trends and
activities?

24. Conclusion & Final Thoughts
The Museum Store:
• is an educational and revenue-generating
DEPARTMENT of the Museum.
• is an important PUBLIC FACE of the Museum.
• helps to DRIVE ATTENDANCE and REVENUE
for the Museum.
• SUPPORTS the collections and programs of the
Museum.
• GENERATES a sense of pride and ownership
among the stakeholders (trustees, donors, staff,
members, volunteers) of the Museum.

25. Questions & Answers...
Contact information
• Jim DeMersman: executive@museumonmain.org
• Stuart Hata: shata@famsf.org
• Carrie Santell: carrie.santell@uss-hornet.org
• Miriam Works: miriam@works-consulting.com